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Audience members said show boss Simon Cowell, who picked American Carmen to replace Amanda when she left to have her baby, looked "mad" at the interruptions. One said: "He had a face like thunder.

"The flow of the show was ruined. Carmen was booed the second she opened her mouth, and all she did was tell a group they "looked cute."

Carmen's discomfort appeared to be ramped up by her fellow judge, Little Britain funnyman David Walliams.

Onlookers said he had a pop at her for her comments, which included asking what would happen to a 12-year-old singer when his voice broke.

The witness said: "David pulled a mocking face at her and told her it would get deeper — obviously. The audience lapped it up. Later he told her off for looking at Simon and said, 'You're supposed to be looking at the acts'."